Lady&#39;s undergarment



Match 14, 1944.

z. A. STEPHENS LADYS UNDERGARMENT Filed March- 29, 1943 /A/ VE N TOE ZOMA 14.57'EPHEN6' TTOENEKK buttocks, whereby Patented Mar. 14, 1944 Zoma A. Stephens,EMinneapolis, Minn, assignor to Munsingwear,

Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a

corporation of Delaware Application March 29, 1943, Serial No. 480,963

disclosed a structure designed to carry out the 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ladies undergarments and more particularly to garments of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial Number 480,962, filed March 29, 1943.

The novel garment herein disclosed distinguishes from the one disclosed in the above noted application in that the rear portion of the garment is provided with narrow, elongated sections of two-way stretch elastic fabric which extend downwardly from the waistline over the enlarged portions of the buttocks and have theirlower ends curving upwardly and terminating at the side seams of the garment. 1

An object of the present invention is to provide a garment of the pantie-girdle type Whose rear portion comprises a central panel of one-way stretch fabric, stretchable in a vertical direction, and extending from the waistline to the crotch and having its outer edges extending downwardly and outwardly from the waistline andterminating at the side seams of the garment, and narrow elongated sections of two-way stretch elastic fabric being secured to the curved edges of the rear central panel and having their opposite edges secured to side sections which in turn are stitched to the'front sections of the garment by side seams extending from the waist to the bottom of the garment.

A further objectof the inventionis to provide 30 a garment of the class described having down- Wardly and outwardly curved elongated sections of two-way stretch elastic fabric embodied in the rear portion of the garment adapted to overlie the when the body stoops or is in a sitting position, said elongated stretchable sections may stretch in-all directions, as the figure expands, thereby to relieve the fabric and seams of the garment of excessive strains as a result of expansion of the figure across the buttocks.

A further object resides in the unique construction of the rear portion of the garment, whereby ample stretch is permitted in the rear of the garment to allow for-expansion of the body when in stooping or sitting positions without dan; ger of the garment pulling or drawing downwardj- 1y at the waistline or pulling upwardly in the crotch, and whereby the garment will retain its proper position upon the body'with the desired constricting and molding action.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description andthe accompanying drawing and will be claims. 4 l a.

In the accompanying drawing there has been Pointed out in the annexed various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact feaures shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

. In'the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear view of the garment showing the narrow elongated sections of two-way stretch elastic fabric embodied therein;

' Figure 2 is a front view of the garment;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the garment in perspective showing it on a figure; and

Figure 4 is a view showing the action of the two-way stretch sections when the body stoops.

The rear portion of the novel garment herein disclosed is shown comprising a central panel generally designated by the numeral 2, preferably composed of two similar sections 3, stitched together by a seam 5 along the median plane of the garment. The seam 5 is shown extending from the waistline to the crotch 6, as clearly shown in Figure l. The rear panel 2, including the sections 3, ismade from any suitable material capable of stretching in a vertical direction to provide the necessary up-and-down stretch in the rear of the garment, t-o allow free movement of the figure in stooping or bending positions. Preferably, a oneway stretchelastic fabric is employed, but there fare'some non-elastic fabrics which have considerable stretch in one direction, which may adejquately serve the purpose.

In the garment as here shown, the sections 3 of the central-rear panel 2 are provided with leg portions 1' which cooperate with the lower leg portions}; of irontpanels or sections 9 constituting the front'of thegarment. The panels 9 are sewed together by a seam which extends from the crotch to the waistline and may be a continuation of the rear seam 5, as will be understood. The inner edges of the leg portion 1 of the rear panel sections 3 are secured or stitched to the corresponding edges of the leg portions 8 10f the iront section's 9,by suitable seams It, as

shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

v Theplowel outer edge portions of the rear panel sections 3' aresecured to thelower outer edge ,portiqns of the leg portions 8 of the front panel sections 9,. by side seam s l4 and [5- which extend rom the bottoms'of the leg portionsof the garment. Thejsea'm lifis shown extending'to the waistline l6,'whereasthe seam l 4 is shown terminatingatthefbottom ,of a slit or opening 23, normallylclos'ed by'ja zippenhooks and'eyes, or other reference to Figure 4,said

ing or creeping on the stated. Suitable garters 2 well known fastening means, applicable for the purpose.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a pair of elongated, curved sections ll of two-way stretch elastic fabric in the rear portion of the garment, as shown in Figure 1. The inner convex edges of the elastic sections H are secured to the outer curved edges of the rear panel sections 3-3 by suitable seams 18 which extend downwardly from the waistline and terminate at the side seams I 4 and 115 of the garment.

Small side sections or panels [9 and 2| are embodied in the sides of the garment and have their forward edges secured to 9 of the garment by the side seams I4 and [5, as will be understood by reference to Figures 1, 3 and 4. The rear convex edges of the side sections 19 and 2] are secured to the adjacent concave edges of the two-way stretch elastic sections' [1, by suitable seams 2 2.

A suitable opening 23 is shown provided in the left hand side of the garment whereby the garment may be partially opened to facilitate slipping it on or off the body. The opening 23 is adapted to be closed by a suitable zipper,hooks and eyes, or other suitable fastening means, well known in the art.

The front panel sections 9 are preferably composed of a special knit fabric which has a limited amount of stretch in a vertical direction, but little or no stretch around the girth or in a horizontal direction. Elastic inserts 24 are shown embodied in the lower marginal edges of the leg portions 8 of the front panel sections 9, adapted to support suitable garters or hose supporters 25 of conventional design. The rear panel sections 3 which cooperate to provide the rear central panel 2, are made of one-way stretch elastic fabric to provideample stretch in the rear of the garment in a vertical direction, thereby to allow for stooping or sitting positions, and whereby the upper rear edge portion of the garment will not pull downwardly at the waistline when the body is in a stooping or sitting position.

The unique arrangement of the curved sections H in the'seat portion of the garment is important in that they are so arranged therein that they will readily allow is in a stooping or sitting position, without causing severe strains in any portions of the garment or in the seams thereof. This results because the elastic sections I! are made 7 elastic fabric such as Powernet, now commonly known to the trade, which is capable of readily stretching in all directions, whereby the rear of the garment may readily stretch and expand and thereby adapt itself to the wearers body, when in a sitting or stooping position, and without any discomforting effects to the wearer.

. In Figure 4 the arrows indicate approximately the direction of stretch in the curved sections I'l when the body stoops'. Because the section's'll are capable of stretching 'in' all directions, the

seams l8 and 22 which secure the elastic sections [1 in place in the garment, are not subjected to severe strains as will readily be understdodby sections allowing the seat portion of the garment to readily expand with the wearers body, without causing any binda body, as hereinbef'o're 26 are preferably secured to the lower edges of the leg" portions at the front panel sections of two-way stretch two-way stretch sections the garment to stretch over the buttocks in all directions, when the body r the rear of the garment, as is common practice in garments of this general type.

The upper front portion of the garment which overlies the abdomen is preferably reinforced by a non-elastic panel 21, secured to the front panel sections 9 by upright seams 28. Suitable stays 29 may also be embodied in the front of the garment to provide'additional support for the abdomen and prevent bulging thereof.

The unique design and location of the curved H in the rear of the garment is, as hereinbefore stated, of utmost importance in that the inherent characteristics of these sections is such that they permit ample stretch and expansion of the rear of the garment in all directions, whereby the entire rear portion of the garment which overlies the buttocks may readily expand both horizontally and vertically to accommodate body movements, assisted, of course, by the vertical stretch rear panel sections 3'. Thus the garment will retain its proper position upon the wearers body regardless of body movements, and with the result that a form fitting garment is provided which will be comfortable to the wearer in all positions, and will produce the desired body constricting and molding action. It will also be noted by reference to Figure 1 that thecurved sections H are comparatively small in size, whereby the garment maybe constructed with a minimum of two-way stretch elastic fabric, which is of importance, in that such fabric is now difficult to obtain in large quantities for garment use, because of the defense program.

By reference-to Figures land 2 it will be noted that the garment is extremely simple in design and construction, whereby it readily lends itself for quantity production at low cost.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that- I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the hereindisclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not liinitedtherto.

, I claim;

l. A- garment of the class described comprising a body provided at rear with a centralpanel of one-waystretch, material, stretchable in. avertical direction and having concave side edges ex tending downwardly from the waistline from a point near the centralportion of the garment and curving outwardly and terminating at the sides of the garment, a narrow, el'ongated, curved twoway stretch elastic fabric section disposed at each side of said rear panel and each'having a rearconvex edge and a forwardly directed concave edge, suitable stitching securing the convex edges of said curved two-way stretch sections to the concave side edges of the rear panel, and side sections havingconvex edges secured. to'the concave edges of said curved two-way stretch sections, said curved" sections overlying the buttocks of the wearer and 'permittin'g'ample stretch in the rear of the'garment in all 'directionsto allow for expansion of the wearer's body, when in a stooping or sitting position, 7

A garment of the class described comprising abody having-side seams and provided at its rear with a one-way stretch panel extending downwardly from the waistline to the crotch, and having its opposed side edges outwardly flared and terminating at the side seams of the garment, side panels extending rearwardly from said side seams, a pair of narrow, elongated two-way stretch elastic fabric sections interposed between said rear panel and the side sections and each having a convex edge secured to the adjacent outwardly flared edge of said rear panel, said narrow two-way stretch sections extending downwardly from the waistline to the side seams of the garment and overlying the buttocks and being capable of stretching in all directions, thereby to allow the seat portion of the garment to readily stretch or expand in all directions to allow for expansion of the wearer's body across the buttocks, when the wearer is in a stooping or sitting position.

3. A pantie-girdle comprising a body provided with a rear panel stretchable in a vertical direction and extending downwardly from the central portion of the waistline with its side edges flaring outwardly to provide leg forming portions at the bottom of the garment, side sections extending rearwardly from the sides of the garment, a narrow, elongated, two-way stretch elastic fabric section interposed between each side section and the rear panel and overlying the buttocks of the wearer, the opposite edges of said elongated, twoway stretch sections being shaped to correspond substantially to the curvatures of the adjacent edges of said side sections and rear panel, seams securing said curved sections to the side sections and rear panel, the front of the garment being composed of a fabric which has limited vertical stretch, but little or no horizontal stretch, and said elongated, curved sections cooperating with 3 the vertical stretchable rear panel to provide ample stretch in the rear 01 the garment to allow for expansion of the wearers body across the buttocks, when the wearer is in a stooping or sitting position, and whereby the waistline will not pull downwardly at the rear of the garment when the wearer is in such position.

4. A pantie-girdle comprising a body having a front panel extending to the sides of the garment and provided at its bottom with leg forming portions, a panel of one-way stretch fabric in the rear of said body having its opposite side edges extending downwardly from the waistline at the central portion of the back of the garment and having its opposite side edges curving outwardly to the side of the garment, said rear panel being stretchable in a vertical direction, and having little or no stretch in a horizontal direction, a narrow, elongated, curved section of two-way stretch elastic fabric disposed at each side of said rear panel, seams securing the rearwardly directed side edges of said curved sections to the outer curved edges of the rear panel, side sections each secured at one side to the outer side edges of said elongated curved two-way stretch sections and having their opposite side edges secured to the front panel by suitable side seams extending from the top of the garment to the bottom of the leg portions thereof, and said narrow, elongated two-way stretch sections being arranged to overlie the buttocks of the wearer, thereby to allow ample stretch in the seat portion of the garment, when the wearer is in a stooping or sitting position, and also whereby the garment is prevented from pulling down at the waistline, regardless of body movements.

ZOMA A. STEPHENS. 

